This time of year is difficult for fall-season athletes at Bowdoin. It is a time of transition into the unknown. For many, the playoffs bring a particular sense of urgency, a need to continue with their campaign.
The men's soccer team went into Sunday's game against top-seeded Middlebury as the eighth seed in the NESCAC playoffs, an unenviable position, considering Middlebury's title as reigning NESCAC and Division III champions.
The Panthers scored early and often, with two goals in the first 30 minutes of play and a third before the end of the first half. The quick start did not dampen the spirits of the Polar Bears though, as the players ignored all of the signals and continued to fight until the end. The team's showed their resilence in the second half. Peter Mills '09 and Sean Bishop '12 led the team with two shots on goal each, helping the Bears hold a 7-5 lead in shots on goal in the second half.
However, the increased offense was not enough to pull out a victory and move on to the semifinals. Bowdoin left Middlebury with a 3-0 loss and the five seniors had the long bus ride home to think about the end of an era.
Despite the loss of five graduting seniors?Harry Ashforth, Dominic Fitzpatrick, Chris Hickey, Mills, and Brendan Mooney?the team can be confident about the prospects of next year's edition.
Coach Fran O'Leary is blessed to welcome back mainstays in the starting 11: Players like Ben Denton Schneider '11, Tom Wakefield '10, Tim Prior '11, Eddie Jones '12, and Dan Hicks '11 give the Polar Bears a solid base to grow from. Next year, they will surely look to avoid the types of losses that plagued their season this year.